Conference

The Government has announced that there will be a new White Paper on culture. It is 10 years since the last time we got a separate performing arts White Paper.

The performing arts field is constantly changing. The institutions are changing. We’ve got a new Opera – the largest institution of all. The independent performing arts field have a completely different status now than it had 10 years ago. We’ve got new national companies on basic funding. It is produced a lot more “outdoor historical plays” across the country than ever before. And it is spent more than twice as much public money on the performing arts today.

The performing arts landscape is changing. It is no longer possible to distinguish between the “independent field” and the “institutional theater field.” The performing art has become one field.

However, it is remarkable how little the policy of the performing arts field has changed – through several decades and through many changes of government it has mostly remained unchanged. But is this policy still relevant? Are we sure that we still have the best solutions? Does the map still show the terrain? Or do we need to draw a new map?

Together with Danse- og Teatersentrum, Norske Dansekunstnere, Norsk Skuespillerforbund and Klassekampen, we invite to a debate on the Norwegian performing arts. Bård Kleppe from Telemark Forskning will provide a research-based background. In the panel, we will meet prominent representatives of the performing arts and politicians.